Serving the CommonwealthThe Virginia Coastal Policy Center provides science-based legal and policy analysis of ecological issues affecting the state's coastal resources, providing education and advice to a host of Virginia’s decision-makers, from government officials and legal scholars to leaders of non-profit organizations and businesses.

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by VCPC Staff
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October 26, 2015

On November 13, William & Mary Law School's Virginia Coastal Policy Center will host its third annual climate change conference, "Show Me the Money: The Economic Realities of Responding to Coastal Change and Adaptation in Virginia." The conference will be held at the William & Mary School of Education, 301 Monticello Avenue, Williamsburg, Va., from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pre-registration is suggested become of limited seating. Students may register for free; registration is $20 for the general public. The event will focus on the ways in which coastal change and adaptation actions pose fiscal challenges and the available, implementable solutions we must consider to address those challenges.

The Center is pleased to be hosting the United States Environmental Protection Administrator, Gina McCarthy, as the conference's luncheon speaker. Administrator McCarthy has placed "Addressing Climate Change and Improving Air Quality" as well "Making a Visible Difference in Communities across the Country" as priority initiatives for her term as administrator. Both of these priorities are directly related to EPA actions being taken in Virginia and, in particular, Hampton Roads.

"We are thrilled and honored to have Administrator McCarthy participating in the conference. Her appearance is a recognition by the administration of the significance of the impacts of climate change not only to Virginia's future but also to the future of our nation and its environment," said Roy A. Hoagland, director of the Virginia Coastal Policy Center.

The conference will begin with an address from Virginia Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam and will conclude with a discussion with U.S. Representative Rob Wittman. Northam has noted that his concerns for the environment, and the Chesapeake Bay in particular, were a significant part of his decision to get involved in politics. Wittman has co-sponsored several bills related to the environment, such as the Clean and Green Renewable Energy Tax Credit Act of 2007, and the Generating Renewable Energy and Encouraging Novel Technologies Act of 2007.

"Having state leadership like the lieutenant governor and federal leadership like the congressman, both of whom have long histories, connections and commitments to coastal Virginia, combined with the participation of the administrator, is an honor for the college and a rare opportunity for the public," noted Hoagland. He added, "Both the lieutenant governor and the congressman are committed to the sustainable future of Virginia's coastal communities."

Additionally, the conference will feature a series of panels throughout the day on various topics, including local governments' economic policy responses to resiliency challenges and the roles of social justice and environmental justice in the economics of resiliency decisions. The roster of speakers includes

The Honorable Lynwood Lewis, Virginia state senator (6th District),

Jim Gephardt, the newly appointed senior advisor to Administrator McCarthy and director of the EPA's new Water Infrastructure and Resiliency Finance Center,

Stephanie Hamlett, the executive director of the Virginia Resources Authority,

Thomas Jefferson founded William & Mary Law School in 1779 to train leaders for the new nation. Now in its third century, America's oldest law school continues its historic mission of educating citizen lawyers who are prepared both to lead and to serve.